BLOG

5 Interview Tips: What Not to Do in an Interview

There are many things that can go wrong during an interview, and many managers are willing to overlook a mistake or two, but there are a few behaviors you want to avoid completely. Follow this advice from Staff Force, your Houston staffing company, for a better chance at securing the job.

5 Bad Interview Behaviors

Lying

It goes without saying that in general, lying is frowned upon. According to a survey done by Career Builder, 66 percent of managers will remove you from consideration for a position if you get caught lying during an interview.

Wearing the Wrong Clothes

If you wear clothes to an interview that are too tight, too loose, too dressy, too casual, or that prominently feature brands or logos, that is an indicator to hiring managers that you may not be a good fit for the company culture, or that you would appear unprofessional to customers. Do not be afraid to ask ahead of time about the appropriate dress before heading in to your next interview.

Checking Your Phone

By looking at your phone during an interview, you signal to the hiring manager that you are not taking them seriously and do not respect their time. Before you go in, remove the distraction from the equation by turning your phone off or setting it to silent. Vibrate does not count.

Avoiding Eye Contact

When you don’t make eye contact with your interviewer, you may appear as if you are trying to hide something. If the hiring manager thinks you have something to hide, they may perceive you as untrustworthy. While eye contact with strangers can be uncomfortable for some people, it’s important for job interviews.

Not Smiling

When you don’t smile in an interview, you give off the impression that you’d rather be somewhere else, or that you are a cold or standoffish person. If you seem like you do not want to be there, the hiring manager will hesitate to ask you to return.

Do you have further questions about inappropriate interview behavior? Contact Staff Force, your Houston staffing company today.